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Economic Times
15 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Economic Times
Gone with the gold watch: Britain's missing economy and other pub-side mysteries
Britain, billed as the Sceptred Isle, this other Eden, demi-Paradise, is also the haunt of mythical and mysterious bogeys and beasties - things that go bump in the night, or even in daylight. Perhaps the most famous of these is the Loch Ness Monster, the cuddly Nessie, said to lurk in the lake of that name in the Scottish Highlands. Since her first reported sighting in 1933, Nessie continues to attract some 5,00,000 visitors annually, bringing in over £40 mn. In T.H. White's 1958 Arthurian epic, The Once and Future King, a knight of the Round Table, Sir Pellinore, devotes his life to the pursuit of the elusive Questing Beast. Finally, weary of his vain efforts, the ageing knight doffs his armour, stables his steed, and calls it a day. But he's roused from his repose by a snuffling outside his castle. It is the Questing Beast, anxiously waiting to be quested again. In the true spirit of chivalry and knight-errantry, Sir Pellinore dons his helmet and breastplate and sets off once more, with the Questing Beast merrily leading the chase, leaving behind fewmets for its pursuer to follow. In the unlikely guise of an economist, a latter-day Sir Pellinore might quest in search of a fabled fugitive called the British economy - an enigmatic entity, as seemingly unsusceptible to discovery as the unfathomable Nessie. Hang it all, the blessed thing was here just the other day, wasn't it? It must have been, what with Britain having presided for a couple of centuries over the biggest empire ever known to man - or, Marvel Comics superhero - just one component of which, the Jewel in the Crown that was India, yielded a wealth which, in today's terms, is estimated at over $64 tn. Where did all that lolly go? Like the Questing Beast, the economy leaves a trail of occasional droppings to indicate its passage. A while ago, it was reported that the erstwhile outpost of the British raj, India, has overtaken its former ruler to become the world's 5th largest economy. For the Indian economy to have overtaken Britain, the latter must have had an economy capable of being overtaken, right? Right. Well, sort again, all the London pubs are always full, with not even standing room. Surely, you need to have an economy to finance all this patronage of public houses, which have never been so prolifically public - even though what, in Cockney rhyming slang, is called a 'gold watch' (=Scotch), costs what a horologe composed of that metal would fetch in a pawn that's what's happened to the disappeared economy. It's got itself another reason adduced for this plenitude of pub patronage relates not to Britain's economy, but to the economies of other nations - what with Russian oligarchs and Arab sheikhs having bought up so much real estate in the city that property has turned into unreal estate for many Londoners. This has resulted in a phenomenon known as failure to launch, which refers to the financial inability of those who, unable to afford to leave the parental nest, seek temporary refuge - and spirituous solace - in talks about the high, and growing higher, cost of living. To compound the problem, its alternative - the cost of dying - is also pricey, with a typical funeral costing £2,500-plus, nullifying Woody Allen's anodyne definition of death as a radical way to save on the mystery of the absconding British economy might have a simpler explanation: it has been subsumed, secretly, within a much larger one. Attention is so focused on Trumpistan's attempted takeover bid to make Canada the supposed 51st state of America, it's been overlooked that Uncle Sam has had a symbolic extra star on his flag ever since the end of was when John Bull surrendered his bowler hat in exchange for a cowboy's Stetson, and Westminster became an annexe - or, in local parlance, a granny flat - of the White House. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this column are that of the writer. The facts and opinions expressed here do not reflect the views of Elevate your knowledge and leadership skills at a cost cheaper than your daily tea. How Vedanta's Anil Agarwal bettered Warren Buffett in returns Why Infy's Parekh takes home more than TCS' CEO despite being smaller Worrying cracks hiding behind MG Motor's own 'house of Windsor' Rivers are moving more goods than before. But why aren't they making a splash yet? Central bankers print currency for all, but why do they chase gold? Stock Radar: This BSE Sensex stock from IT space is now looking attractive after breaking out from ascending triangle pattern; time to buy? These large- and mid-cap stocks can give more than 25% return in 1 year, according to analysts Buy, Sell or Hold: Antique recommends buy on Shilpa Medicare; YES SECURITIES initiates coverage on Chalet Hotels
The Independent
10-06-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Vet bought a lottery ticket to get change for a pizza tip. Then he won all the dough
Talk about raising serious dough. A retired veteran in California to extremely lucky when he bought a scratch off lottery ticket to break a $100 bill to tip his pizza order. McKinley Nelson, 72, of Winters, recently picked up a pizza for his wife at Round Table but needed change from his large bill to leave a cash tip. Nelson, who said he's played the California Lottery since its inception 40 years ago, went next door to Winters Wine & Liquor, bought the ticket, then picked up his order. 'I had a $100 bill. So, I got two tickets,' Nelson told lottery officials. 'I think it was $20, and I went to the truck and started scratching.' 'I think this one's a million, but I'm not sure,' Nelson said he told his wife about a Loteria Grande scratcher. The cheesy remark turned out to be correct, and Nelson is now $1 million richer. 'So, my wife almost had a heart attack,' Nelson told lottery officials about her reaction. 'And then we had to go in and buy the pizza. It was all because of her, she's the one that likes the pizza.' Nelson said he plans to use the winnings to pay off his home, save a little, and buy a camper van for a road trip with his wife so that they can visit both their families.
Daily Mirror
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
EastEnders star hints at Celebrity Traitors drama after filming 'stressful' show
EastEnders actress Tameka Empson, who plays Kim Fox on the BBC soap, told The Mirror all about her 'stressful' but 'great' stint on Celebrity Traitors, teasing drama ahead Soap star Tameka Empson found Celebrity Traitors so "stressful" she can never look at a circular table ever again, after filming the dreaded Round Table scenes. "Can we get a square table, maybe an oval one," the EastEnders favourite joked with The Mirror at this year's British Soap Awards. But despite some tense moments, all to be revealed when the show launches this Autumn, the Kim Fox actress, who took a short break from the BBC soap to film Claudia Winkleman's hit competition series, said she had a "great time". Tameka, 48, can't wait to see it all unfold onscreen, hinting she wasn't there for some of the moments set to air. Perhaps this could tease an early banishment for the comedian, while she told us of her appearance on the show alongside the likes of Clare Balding, Stephen Fry and Jonathan Ross: "It's out of the bag now. I loved it. "What I would say is that when you watch it and then when you are in it, it's two completely different things. Oh my God." Letting out a nervous laugh, she went on: "It is brilliant, but equally it can be stressful. You are working out who is who. I had a great time." As we asked whether the several comedians taking part, herself included, brought a light-hearted feel to the show, she teased this was not the case, with it set to be just as dramatic as the civilian version. She told us: "Well you have got to wait and see. I am looking forward to seeing it as well actually. "When you are watching it you are seeing everything else too, but when you are in it you are not. So I am interested to see it all." It's then that she commented on the brutal Round Table scenes, suggesting things could get pretty tense this series. She quipped: "I can't look at a Round Table again, I'm like, 'Do we have a square or oval please?'. Never a round table again." With Tameka away from EastEnders for filming in Scotland, she teased when her character Kim does return there's emotional scenes ahead. She spilled: "There is going to be more joy now that Kim is back on the Square, and she is going to be a bit emotional. "I hope viewers understand her pain. Maybe I've said too much." Tameka also teased a return for presumed dead Vincent Hubbard, Kim's late husband played by Richard Blackwood, who vanished from the show in 2018. It was claimed a few years later that he'd been killed, but could he be making a return? Tameka teased: "If he turns up then he's got to turn up with something in his hands. It's been a long while now. Watch this space people." Tameka then confessed she'd like to see Kim have two men fighting over her like onscreen sister Denise Fox. During the 40th anniversary, viewers got to vote for who Denise ended up with out of Jack Branning and Ravi Gulati. The actress reckons Denise and Jack's reunion was perfect as the pair, who have worked together for years, are like "old slippers". She's now hoping she too will have a similar twist.
Campaign ME
02-06-2025
- Business
- Campaign ME
Understanding the granularity of retail media for effective outcomes
Retail media is undoubtedly one of the most exciting frontiers in advertising today. Its blend of commerce, data and closed-loop measurement makes it a natural focus for growth. As a result, consultancies are setting bold visions for what's possible – pitching retail media as a cure-all for brand performance and media efficiency. These sky-high projections can be useful for mobilising investment, but they also risk setting a pace that's tough to sustain. With high expectations often set at the top, internal teams can find themselves working toward ambitious targets that don't always reflect the realities of implementation on the ground. Retail media is already a noisy and competitive space and if we continue to set idealised expectations, we will only risk stalling long-term and locking in sub-par results. It's time to take a step back and explore what will deliver real outcomes and target real people. The reality is that progress is incremental, and not something that can be achieved overnight. But that doesn't mean it's ineffective. The numbers might appear modest when compared to more established channels, but they are actually more meaningful because they are connected to real purchases from real customers. What's more, those lower cost-per-thousand impressions (CPMs) elsewhere might look good on paper, but often distort perceptions of value. As Tayab Hasan, General Manager at Careem Ads said during a recent Campaign Middle East CMO Round Table, 'We need to do a lot of education on how to get that more upper funnel spend channelled into retail media because that's where the closed loop measurement exists.' And he's right. Most campaigns are still measured on clicks – surface-level metrics that don't reflect actual outcomes and are easy to inflate – which means what we think we know about purchasing behaviour is probably wrong. If we are to shift this old-school thinking toward outcome-led strategies, the industry needs clear, ongoing education. Everyone must align on what the value of data is, and how it can be unlocked. It's also about giving an honest assessment of what retail media can actually achieve while communicating the bigger picture. It's perfectly acceptable if we don't see success in the first month of a campaign. The right approach is to start small – test, learn and scale. Complexity of scale, measurement and identity in retail media As retailers look to grow beyond onsite activations and endemic partnerships, the complexity deepens. Scaling with non-endemic brands – those seeking to tap into rich retailer data to drive performance across the web –introduces new hurdles. Outdated attribution models and patchy reporting only add to the challenge. In-store remains a huge opportunity, but one that's still difficult to unlock. While solutions exist, many rely on assumptions rather than complete, verified customer data. At the same time, integrating retail media into broader media plans, especially alongside social, is becoming increasingly important. But to do this effectively, marketers need to factor in match rates between platforms to create a truly unified customer experience. And even strong match rates aren't enough on their own. They must feed into clear, consistent measurement – something walled gardens still make difficult – limiting visibility and holding back campaign performance. This is why identity sits at the heart of retail media. With more than 6 million IDs in UAE alone, Epsilon shows how scale can enable smarter activation. It gives brands the precision to identify and reach real people across channels and the open web, making retail media not just a channel, but a powerful connector. Granular data and differentiated engagement Beyond the complexities, we see retail media's true strength: granularity. It thrives on being able to target someone who recently bought Sensodyne toothpaste with precision across both onsite and offsite environments. This level of detail is what sets retail media apart. Keep in mind sales data isn't one-size-fits-all. While the scale of a retail media network matters, each one captures different patterns of consumer behaviour. Alshaya gives breadth across more than 70 brands with offline and online data, while Careem Ads offers frequency and recency from more than 50 million users. It's often the same audience, but in a different context. The key is recognising this diversity and building strategies that reflect it. Retail media must go beyond generic targeting, translating real-world intent and behavioural cues into campaigns that drive relevance and results. Making retail media work All of this brings us back to education. We need to help media teams and clients understand how to build real, lasting value from the channel. As Chirag Galundia, Head of Commerce MENA at Publicis Commerce, aptly stated during the round table, it's our jobs as marketers and agency leaders to educate and manage 'not only in terms of what media to sell, but also in terms of how retail media affects their business, their targeting, and so on.' The brands that pull ahead won't be the ones throwing the most money at retail media – they'll be the ones asking the right questions, setting achievable goals and grounding campaigns in real-world data. Because in a space full of hype, what matters most is clarity: knowing who you're reaching, what you're measuring, and why it matters. Everything else is just background noise. By Rajesh Verma, General Manager, Middle East, Epsilon
Pembrokeshire Herald
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Pembrokeshire Herald
Packed year of events at Milford Waterfront
Music, markets, cruises and fireworks at heart of Milford Haven's event calendar PEMBROKESHIRE'S pretty Milford Waterfront is planning an impressive events programme this year with a whole mishmash of seasonal happenings. Kicking off the activities, on 24th May, the Milford Haven Round Table will stage the ever-popular Big Beer Festival. Offering an impressive line-up of real ales, lagers and ciders, as well as summery fizz and Pimms. There will also be a street food zone for event goes to enjoy some tasty foods. Adding to the festival vibe will be a programme of live music featuring the UK's No. 1 Stereophonics tribute band, The Phonics, along with talented local acts. Tickets cost £25pp for a four-drink token and commemorative glass. In June the focus will be on the water, when the Waverley Paddle Steamer – the world's last seafaring paddle steamer – glides into Milford waterway. There are two on-the-water options, including on the 2nd June an afternoon/evening sailing from Milford Haven to Pembrokeshire Islands Explorer Cruise taking in views of Skokholm, Skomer, St Brides Bay & Ramsey Island (tickets £57 adults and £28.50 children). While on 24th June, departing Mackerel Quay by coach at 4pm, there's a trip to Tenby for an evening cruise past Caldey Island and along the Pembrokeshire Coast to Milford Haven. The trip sails at 5.30 – 8:30pm (tickets £40 adults and £20 children), with return coach travel back to Milford Waterfront. For more information More family-focused fun will entertain the crowds on 5th July at the Milford Haven Carnival. Impressively organised by local Round Table, street entertainers, decorated floats and dressed-up walkers will parade through the town before finishing at the waterfront finale with live music, a fun fair, street entertainers and pop-up refreshments. Entrance fee is £1. August plays host to the Milford Waterfront Weekender. Following the success of last year's inaugural event, this year's programme will be bigger and better. It will run across three days from Friday 8th to Sunday 10th August (midday to 9pm on Friday and Saturday and midday to 7pm on Sunday). A vibrant mix of live music and entertainment from Pure West Radio plus an impressive market and street food and drinks bar line up, visitors can expect a one-stop-shop of the very best of what South West Wales has to offer. November means one thing and that's fireworks. Famed for hosting Pembrokeshire's biggest, most spectacular and free, over-the-water fireworks display is Milford Haven Round Table stages. This year's event will take place on Saturday 1st November from midday to midnight. More than just an impressive pyrotechnic extravaganza, the event features live music, a fun fair and delicious street food – all overlooking the pretty 300-berth marina and Milford Haven Waterway. For more information: For full event listings and updates, visit:
